Means for making identifiable photographs



June 6, .1939- R. W. PHILLIPS MEANS FOR MAKING IDENTIFIABLE PHOTOGRAPHS Filed May 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l y glu/vomito@ RW.?hi1I1psf June 6, 1939,

R. w. PHILLIPS MEANS FOR MAKING DENTIFIABLE PHOTOGRAPHS Filed May 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Kwmmpsf Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR MAKING IDENTIFIABLE- PHOTOGRAPHS Roy Warren Phillips, Wichita, Kans.

Application May 5, 1938, Serial No. 206,300

` 2 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel means'for making identifiable photographs. In the past it hasv been quite a problem for an appraiser to take pictures of the improvements located on the land he is appraising and where there are a number of pictures involved on different tracts of land, there is always a question as to whether we have placed the proper pictures on the report as representing pictures of the improvements located on the particular land.

One of my obects is to provide a novel holder for holding removable numerals and letters and novel means whereby they may be readily inserted in the holder to designate a particular area of land which isbeing appraised, and which numerals and letters will conspicuously show in the photograph taken and will correspond with the number of the report the appraiser is making concerning such land, thus insuring the identification of the photographs of the buildings located on the particular land to which the said photographsv relate.

I attain these and other objects of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an illustration of a photograph A, which in addition to the picture Bv also includes the identifying means C by which the particular property as shown in the picture B is identified;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the identifying means;

Fig. 3 is a section through the holder which carries the identifying letters and numerals; l

Fig. 4 is a plan View (reduced size) of the holder illustrating the arrangement of numerals and letters by which the file wrapper relating to the particular property being photographed is identied;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of an improved and preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through same, the stake 26 being shown in side elevation;

Fig. 7 is a detail View of the blank from which members I4, I5, I6 and 2| are formed, a portion of the blank being broken away at each end;

Fig, 8 is a detail perspective View of spring 24;

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of support I8; and

Fig. 10 is a detail view illustrating parts I8, 2| and I4 in theirassembled state.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in each of the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, I provide a support for the identifying letters and numerals comprising a plate I having opposite upwardly and downwardly turned longitudinal edges 2 adapted to hold a series of identifying elements or cards C. Each of these identifying elements is of suitable size and shape to be inserted in and engaged by the inturned edges 2 of the 5 holder, and has a background 5 on which is printed the code letters or numerals 1, 8 and 9 of contrasting colors. These identifying elements are preferably rectangular strips of cardboards each of which bears a single letter or numeral, 10 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and preferably are printed in jet black against a White background 5, and the cards are slidably insertable in and removable from the holder.

The plate I is attached by a rivet 4 to a suitable support or stake 3 for supporting the holder, which can be inserted in the ground.

The contrasting color of the black letters and numerals on the white background show up to advantage. It is required that the letters or numerals be jet black against a white background in order that they may photograph clearly even under poor as well as good light conditions and the identication numbers and letters show up prominently in the photograph.

Referring to Figs. 5-9, there is illustrated an improved and preferred form of my invention comprising a plate I I having an upwardly turned longitudinal edge portion I2, and having a series of tongues I3 inserted through corresponding o slots 23 of member I4 and bent rearwardly to engage the narrow plate I4. Plate I4 is of' similar length to plate II but has an upwardly turned edge portion I5 at the back and a downwardly turned edge portion I6 extending down 35 in front of plate I I, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to engage the top edges of the cards, and also toengage end retaining rubber strips Il.

I provide a support I8 having an aperture 20 which is aligned with aperture 22 of member I4 40 to receive the rivet 25 by which it is fastened to the central portion of plate I4, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The longitudinal edges I9 of strip I8 are bent inwardly to reinforce that member, and also to provide means for receiving and holding the lower end of flat spring 24, the upper rounded end of which presses against the back of plate II, as shown in Fig. 6. Member I8 is preferably bent as shown in Fig. 6 and inserted through the loop 2l in the stake 26, its lowermost 50 portion functioning as an anchor. Stake 26 has a metal-pointed arrow-like head end 28, square in cross section for embedding in the ground.

One of the handicaps of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-4 was in making it sta- 55 tionary so that the wind would not change the position of the plate when taking a picture of a building. Another diiculty was that the cards would sometimes blow out. The square arrow 28 prevents the holder from being blown to a diierent angle by the wind, and the bent-in portion Ilia of the downwardly turned edge portion I6 holds the pasteboard cards bearing the letters and numerals designated 1, 8 and 9 firmly so that they cannot be blown out. Also the provision of the plate I and support I8 allo-ws the main plate II to be supported in the desired vertical or slightly tilted position. v

When the upper plate I4 is in its normal position, it will have its edge portion I6 and I snugly engaging the main plate II by reason of the pressure of spring 2li, one end Yof which connects with plate II and the other end of which is held by the anges I9 of the support I8. When members I I and I8 are pressed to-ward each other it causes the portion Ilia of edge portion I I to stand out slightly from plate II to facilitate the insertion of or removal from the holder of the numeral and index cards l, 8, and 9, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

In use, the numerals and letters are changed to correspond to the mortgagees filing number for the particular property which the identifying means is used to identify.

In using the invention a photographer engaged in eld work takes photographs of the buildings and land with the identifying number and letters used on the ile relating to the particular property to be photographed. The sign customarily starts with the numeral designated l, followed by letters designated 8, which in turn are followed by a series of numerals designated 9, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The iirst numeral designated 'I indicates the dwelling.

When taking a picture of another building on the same land, the numeral designated as 1 would be a different numeral. For taking a third picture of a building on the same land, the numeral is changed to the next consecutive numeral, etc. The series of letters indicates the name of the particular mortgagee or investor in the property, thus BCSB might indicate Bennington County Savings Bank. The numerals designated 9, which follow the series of letters designated 8, represent the number by which the property being examined is designated on the ofce le Wrapper concerning it.

When rolls of lms are used up they are then sent in by the field photographer to the photographer at the oiiice of the research company who develops and sends the pictures to the main oiiice of the concern where the identifying letters and numerals enable those ling the photographs to properly place the photographs with the proper report on the property so that it insures that the investor has a correct picture of the property in which he is Vinterested and to which the report relates.

It is within the contemplation of my invention to provide means for clamping the cards securely in the holder if such clamping means are desired, such as the means 'sho-wn in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, and above described.

What I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture for the purposes described, a metal holder comprising a main plate having its lower longitudinal edge upturned and having a series oi tongues on its upper edge, a second plate of similar length to the rst plate, said second plate having slots through which the tongues of the rst plate are inserted and bent, said second plate having a downturned edge engaging over the rst plate, said edge portion having its lower portion pressed inwardly to receive and firmly hold removable cards in place between the said downturned edge portion of the second plate and the upturned edge portion of the main plate, a support aixed in a median plane to said second plate and carrying a flat spring, said flat spring pressing against the main plate to normally hold the downturned edge portion of' the second plate in engagement with the upper portion'of the code cards but which may be released by pressing the bottom plate towards the support to facilitate insertion and removal of the cards.

2. As a new article of manufacture for the purposes described, a holder for removable cards, a releasable card engaging element mounted on the said holder and normally engaging the cards to retain them on the holder, manually operable spring-controlled means mounted on the holder and operatively engaging the aforesaid card engaging element to normally hold same in operativeV engagement with the cards to prevent the cards from being blown away when exposed to the wind, and a stake on which the aforesaid holder is detachably mounted, said stake including means for anchoring it in stationary position in the ground, for the purposes herein described.

ROY WARREN PHILLIPS. 

